Saints on Pilgrimage

One of the lines I repeat on all pilgrimages has to do with saints.

Saints are our guide and accompanier--and sometimes those who shove us--forward on pilgrimage.

Without them, we'd be lost.

On this holy day, All Saints' Day, we are glad that All Hallows' Eve scared the bejezus out of evil, making today the precious and holy day it is as we remember saints.

I remember Sts. Cuthbert and Adrian who were with us as we walked along Hadrian's Wall this past spring, and glad they were there to accompany us in spirit and story.  Thankful for Venerable Bede for writing their stories, along with Oswald's story.

Thankful for modern day saints.

Remembering my grandparents this day: Alice, Paul, Evelyn, and Porter.  Remembering my dad, Don.

Lord in your mercy...hear our prayer.

Buen Camino!

Brett

Ithaca by Cavafy

I like this statement by the poet Cavafy:

When you set out on the voyage to Ithaca, 

pray that your journey may be long, 

full of adventure, full of knowledge.

Solvitur Ambluando: It is solved by walking

Great article this morning in Huffingtonpost.com, by Arianna Huffington on the good that is generated by walking: Diogenes' of the 4th century (BCE) wrote "solvitur ambulando" or it is solved by walking.

Diogenes understood what we who do pilgrimage know full well: there is "medicine" in the art of walking.  Jefferson agreed.  Hemingway did it too. As does Wendell Berry, who said that we think pr process information at about the same rate by which we walk. Nietzsche thought that walking was necessary for resolving issues or coming up with great thoughts.

Buen camino!

Brett

One step

My brother-in-faith, Paul, reminded me of this simple yet difficult path:

One foot in front of the other.

A long journey.

Many unexpected experiences.

Inside and out.

Both on the walk and during rest times.

A teacher.

A pilgrim.

One day, one foot, one swing of the arm.

Forward.

Backward.

But with courage.

Lessons from Hadrian's Wall Pilgrimage

There are many lessons learned from Hadrian's Wall pilgrimage, so let me begin reflecting here, adding on to the list in the days to come:

First, I don't control weather on pilgrimage.  No one does.  Weather happens, so get over it.  Pick up our umbrella, galoshes, or put on sunscreen and t shirt, and move forward.  Live with the weather rather than fight it. I can wish and pray for a change in weather--and I've lived in enough places where people say that if you stay put, the weather will change more to our liking--but I/we do not control weather.  It is out of our control...as is most of life (98%).

Day Sixteen: London Bound!

With a fond farewell, I started taking pilgrims to train stations and the airport all morning.  Finally, John, Trina and I said good bye.

This was the last day of the pilgrimage!  What a truly marvelous pilgrimage it was! 

My treat to myself? London!  I flew down on Virgin Atlantic, stayed in Brixton, and had a blast.  First order of business?  See a play, and it was Spamalot!  Smashing way to end the sacred pilgrimage: with humor.

More reflections to come!

Buen camino!

B

Day Fifteen: Rosslyn Chapel

Our last day together as a semi-group was spent at Rosslyn Chapel.  Well known from "The DaVinci Code" of Dan Brown, as well as from the Knight's Templar and those who walk the Camino, and those who are into spirituality (this ground is holy, I've heard), we were amazed and delighted at this little jewel of a chapel that was filled with more symbols that you could shake a stick at. And the ruins of the Castle was equally fantastic.

One of the favorite stories that will lead to another pilgrimage: Robert the Bruce was killed in a fight with the English. His body was buried in Dunfermline, but the desire was this: his heart to be buried in Jerusalem. But the "Moors" stopped the band getting to Jerusalem, but the "Moors" were so impressed with the people that they let them take his heart to Melrose Abbey.  I heard this story where? Rosslyn Chapel.

Fantastic way to end this stretch of pilgrimage.

Buen camino!

B